Smile Because it Happened
by Leena Valtapaz
Summary: Makuta has a brief inferiority complex phase (In short, he gets jealous). Rated K Plus since it's a little too intense for K - Genre 2 is Family since, y'know, Ekimu is Makuta's brother and, y'know, brothers are part of a family.


Quick AN: The title of this story is part of a quote by Theodore Geisel (A.K.A. Dr Suess). I wrote this story before Control, so the writing style may be different. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

 **"Ever since he became a mask maker, all Makuta wanted was simply to be good at making masks; and he really was skilled at making them. But unfortunately, his jealousy for his brother, Ekimu, got the better of him. It was beginning to become a hatred…"**

* * *

"Hey, Ekimu—" Makuta began. But his brother raised a hand to silence him. "Just a moment, Makuta," Ekimu said busily, banging his hammer down on a red-hot piece of metal.

"But it's important!" protested Makuta.

"Can it wait?" Ekimu asked, lifting up the metal with his tongs. "This mask is very important, and I do not wish to fail. Stone crystals, please." While examining the mask-to-be, Ekimu held out a hand intently.

Makuta frowned, but grabbed some yellow crystals from the work table and placed them in Ekimu's hand.

"Thank you," Ekimu said gratefully. He set the future mask on his anvil, placed the crystals on the metal, and concentrated. His mask suddenly radiated with light, almost as bright as a sun. Ekimu rested his hand on the metal, and it, too, began to shine. Makuta put a hand above his eyes, squinting at the blinding light.

As soon as the light had passed, Makuta uncovered his eyes and stared. There, in front of Ekimu, was a perfectly crafted mask. There were no dents, bulges or flaws of any kind. It was beautiful.

Ekimu smiled. "Perfect. Kerato will love this. Now, to do Owaki's mask… Oh, forgive me, Makuta, you wanted to say something. What is it?"

"Never mind," Makuta muttered. "It's nothing important."

Ekimu was slightly taken back. "Are you alright, brother?" he asked, putting down his tools.

"Of course, I'm _fine_ ," Makuta lied.

Ekimu smirked slightly. "Makuta, I can tell when something's wrong. You can tell me."

"I _know_ you can tell when something's wrong," Makuta growled heatedly. "I bet that's also why you're so perfect at those masks you make. It's because you're all so perfect at everything, unlike your puny little brother who can never be good enough, who's always in the way of things, who's so pitiful he can't even—"

"Makuta!" Ekimu gasped. "Don't say that about yourself!"

"And lie?" spat Makuta. Before Ekimu could reply, his brother had already stomped out of the forge. Ekimu sighed and shook his head. Silently, he packed up his tools and left the forge.

* * *

Makuta was running. He didn't know where he'd end up if he kept running. He didn't care, as long as it was away from his accursed brother. Ekimu, the "perfect brother." Ekimu, the "best mask maker in a thousand years." Ekimu. What a silly name. Makuta _hated_ that name. He knew Ekimu's secret. He saw his "brother's" mask glow. He knew Ekimu cheated.

 _There should be a law against it,_ Makuta thought to himself. _Using a mask to craft other masks. Treasuring your business and fame over your own brother… "_ _B_ _rother." He's no brother of mine._

Makuta stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He turned for a second to look back at the city. "I've barely moved," he muttered. He turned toward the darkness and started walking. _Night falling,_ thought Makuta. _But I'm not afraid of the dark. I'm no "little brother."_ _I bet Ekimu won't even miss me…_

* * *

"Makuta!" Ekimu called desperately. "Brother!"

Upon the rising of the sun, Ekimu had found that Makuta had still not returned to the city. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Brother!" he called again. _I should never have let him run off like that,_ he thought worriedly. "Makuta!" Ekimu was scared. Of all people, he would be the one who would know where Makuta was. Then, it struck him.

"Lenzo!" The gardener turned his head. "Yes, master Ekimu?" he asked.

Ekimu spoke quickly. "Lenzo, when I woke up this morning, Makuta was nowhere to be found. Did you see him going somewhere, _any_ where?"

Lenzo leaned on his hoe in thought. "Well, I did see a figure running up the eastern mountains." He chuckled. "But it could just be a Ko-Okotan. Man, those guys are weird."

Ekimu frowned. "This isn't the time for jokes. Makuta could be in grave danger!"

Lenzo's eyes widened, and he quickly nodded. "The figure was climbing up the second-highest east mountain. I think I saw some golden armor on them. They were also holding something big."

"Thank you, Lenzo," Ekimu said quickly. After grabbing a few climbing tools, he took off at a run. He would stop at nothing to find his brother. _I'm coming, Makuta,_ he thought resolutely. _I pray that you're safe, my brother._

* * *

Makuta suddenly heard a twig snap behind him. He stood up and reached for his hammer. Whatever was coming wouldn't be spared. A rustling of bushes. "Show yourself!" Makuta growled, tightening the grip on his hammer. "Get out of there before I…" Makuta's voice trailed off. "I…"

Coming out of the bushes was none other than Ekimu. "Brother!" Ekimu called. He dropped his pickaxe and ran over to Makuta. "Thank the gods you're safe!" Ekimu cried as he hugged his long-lost brother. "I was so afraid, Makuta! I thought… I thought…"

"Yeah, I know," Makuta replied awkwardly.

"But why, brother?" Ekimu asked as soon as he let go. "Why did you leave? You could have gotten lost, or worse!"

"I left because I wanted…" Makuta caught himself. "Well, I was just overreacting, I guess."

"Makuta, can you promise you'll never do that again, please?" Ekimu put his hand on Makuta's shoulder, a concerned expression on his face. "I was worried about you, my brother."

Makuta looked down at his feet. His brother could be faking the whole act, but… "I promise I won't run away again," he conceded.

Ekimu smiled and wiped a tear from his eye. "Thank you, Makuta. Now, let's go home."

* * *

 **"Now, we all know how it ended. A few years later, Makuta created and donned the Mask of Ultimate Power, corrupting his soul and destroying the brother Ekimu once knew. But for now, let us know that it was not that day that it had happened, and enjoy what once was. For that is the way… of the** BIONICLE."


End file.
